Catheter retention assembly and method of use

Abstract

A catheter retention assembly and method of use with a catheter. The assembly has a carrier system and a cuff positioning device with an in-growth cuff and a lumen having an inner wall adapted to be mounted on the outer surface of the catheter, and a carrier system with an inner surface and an outer surface in contact with the inner wall of the cuff positioning device. The carrier system holds the lumen in a first radial state. When the carrier system is removed, the lumen contracts to a second radial state, and the inner wall of the cuff positioning device provides sufficient surface adherence to the outer surface of the catheter, so as to maintain the position of the cuff positioning device relative to the catheter, and to allow for catheter exchange.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of retaining the position of a catheter having a distal end, wherein the method comprises:
 a) providing a catheter retention assembly that comprises a cuff positioning device having an in-growth cuff and a lumen having an inner wall adapted to be mounted on the catheter, and   a carrier system with an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface is in contact with the inner wall of the cuff positioning device,   b) inserting the catheter into a skin incision site,   c) positioning the distal end of the catheter at a desired location,   d) moving the cuff positioning device to a desired location, and   e) removing the carrier system from the lumen, so as to fix the position of the catheter and the cuff positioning device relative to one another.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising providing a resilient cuff positioning device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising holding the lumen of the cuff positioning device in a first expanded radial state with the carrier system. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising contracting the lumen of the cuff positioning device to a second radial state. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising applying a radially compressive force around the lumen of the cuff positioning device using a spring. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising manually pulling in opposite directions at least two abutting carrier system finger tabs along a longitudinal splittable line, away from the cuff positioning device and retracting the carrier system. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising securing the cuff positioning device to a patient's skin using a securing means. 
     
     
         26 - 31 . (canceled)